When it comes to classics from the golden muscle car era, we could say that the market has gone wild in recent years. Many restored rigs are going for six-figure sums, while derelict barn finds are getting much more dough than they used to only a decade ago. However, most classics from the Malaise Era are still dirt cheap.
A period of adjustment to new demands for safer and more fuel-efficient vehicles, the Malaise Era stretched from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. The period is often remembered for underpowered and poor-quality vehicles, as well as uninspired designs. But that’s to say all cars from this era were dull.
Although they were indeed underpowered compared to 1960s vehicles, rigs like the Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and Chevrolet Corvette were still exciting to look at. The mid-1970s Cadillac Eldorado is also a pretty vehicle in my book. I’m also a fan of the Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen twins, which spawned a pair of NASCAR-inspired “kit cars” in 1978.
Speaking of NASCAR, the series also had a major impact on the design of yet another Malaise-Era rig. I’m talking about the Chevrolet Laguna, a short-lived nameplate based on the third-generation Chevelle.
The Laguna debuted in 1973 as a top-of-the-line version of the Chevelle. Positioned above the Malibu, the series included all body styles. This changed in 1974 when the line was renamed Laguna Type S-3 and restricted to the Colonnade coupe version.
The Laguna remained a coupe-only trim until it was discontinued at the end of the 1976 model year, but 1975 brought yet another major change. The coupe hit showrooms with a slanted, aero-style urethane nose and louvered opera windows. These features were designed specifically for NASCAR and remained in use the following year as well.
The aero features enabled the Laguna to continue the Chevelle’s successful stint on oval circuits until it was made ineligible for competition after the 1977 season. Cale Yarborough won 34 races and earned the first two of his three consecutive Winston Cup championships driving a Laguna S-3.
Chevrolet built 32,680 Laguna S3 road cars over three model years, a relatively small number compared to the Chevelle it was based on. But this nameplate doesn’t get a lot of love nowadays, and most aero-styled 1975-1976 Lagunas are rotting away in junkyards and barns. The 1976 example you see here is one of those rigs.
Found on a field where it had been sitting for many years, the Chevy was purchased by our host for only $200. The car was in better shape than the price suggested, but it did not run, and there were quite a few issues. Full exposure to the elements had taken a toll on the body and the interior.
The new owner expected to find a stuck engine that would need a full rebuild under the hood. To his surprise, though, the old V8 didn’t need much to run again. After a few hours of work and replacement parts worth less than $300, the powerplant agreed to run. Moreover, the gearbox was still shifting properly, so the Laguna became a drivable classic.
Granted, it’s not exactly road-worthy as is, but a good-sounding engine, a proper transmission, and a body that’s not overly rusty are great news when a car has been sitting for this long. I’m not getting my hopes that this Laguna will be restored (it’s not worth it relative to its market value), but the fact that it will be returned to public roads is a big win for a Malaise-Era vehicle. Check it out in the video below.